[Behind-the-scenes] Dirty Dancing musical – Backstage Tour

Imagine TV Network takes a backstage tour at the set of the Dirty Dancing musical in Singapore and unveils the dedication and meticulous planning that go into making the musical a success..

Resident Director of the Dirty Dancing musical, Alan Swerdlow, brings our cameras backstage and gives us a special walk-through of the stage and and its layout.

Based on the 1987 American romance film of the same name, Swerdlow says that efforts have been made to source for actual items from the era, such as a copy of the novel, The Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand.

The wardrobe village, he explains, is where most of the costumes for the characters are kept and it is also where they do their costume change. Set in the 1960s, the production team has had to screen print certain designs so the motifs of the clothes will look appropriate for the time period it represents.

Various scenes call for a different look for the characters and Swerdlow shares how the wig master and his assistant help to achieve that, adding that there are also understudies who will cover for the cast if anyone falls sick or is injured while performing.

Instead of using scenic design that consists of heavy wooden sets, the musical utilizes LED screens and moving scenic elements and Swerdlow points us to the ones who work, literally, behind-the-stage to allow for the scenes to make a smooth transition.

Although the cast are the ones that receives the applause from the audience every night, he stresses that it is a huge team effort and says that every person who works on the show is vital to its success, even those that the audience do not see.

Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story on Stage opens at Singapore's Marina Bay Sands from 24 May to 9 June 2013.